Events and Traditions
Pumpkin Fair
The longstanding second-grade tradition engages our students with their mathematical thinking focused on the concept of money. Selling pumpkins, brownies, pumpkin bread, and small trinkets allow our students and their parents to count money and make change and they raise money to support Lower School initiatives.
Evening of the Arts
Each year, students in grades 1- 5 host an Evening of the Arts performance and gallery night to showcase their work in the performing and visual arts. The evening show begins with a performance of song and dance in the Falk Auditorium and is followed by a grade level gallery walks where students share their artwork with families and friends.
Earth Day
On Earth Day, students, parent volunteers, and WT faculty take to the outdoor classrooms and turn science, math, and writing lessons into activities that celebrate the Earth. Past year’s activities included learning about beautiful, yet invasive flowers, planning square foot gardening to aid urban families in planting and harvesting fresh food, working together to determine how to assemble a raised bed, and doing spring preparations for planting in the outdoor classrooms.
Spring Fling
Each spring the school celebrates the season with a fun-filled family festival at our City Campus known as Spring Fling. Traditional carnival activities for all ages include a flower sale, bake sale, basket raffles, arts and crafts, inflatable obstacle course and slides, live entertainment, balloons, games, food, and more!
May Day
May Day has been celebrated at WT since the early 1900s. Kindergarten students and their eighth grade buddies participate in many activities throughout the school year -- reading books together, the Halloween parade, pizza lunches, and time on the playground. Their culminating activity is a May Day celebration, which includes a May Pole dance, songs, and performances, including the tradition of singing "Best Friends" together.
Moving Up Ceremony
The end of each school year is marked with a special ceremony that celebrates and honors the accomplishments of the year and looks forward to the year to come.
Thoughtfulness Award
The Thoughtfulness Award is given during the Moving Up Ceremony to a fifth-grade student who, during all of his or her school years, best lived the school credo, Think Also of the Comfort and Rights of Others.
Student-Led Conferences
During the school year students in Kindergarten through fifth grade assemble a collection of work that contains examples of their learning. With the teachers' guidance they reflect on their learning, set goals, and meet with their parents to share these goals. Through this process students gain a better understanding of how they learn and practice setting and achieving goals.
Buddies
Kindergarten students and their eighth-grade buddies participate in many activities throughout the school year, including reading books together, the Halloween parade, pizza lunches, and time on the playground. The culminating activity is a May Day celebration, which includes a Maypole dance and singing, including the tradition of singing "Best Friends" together.
Because of the close proximity to the Middle and Upper Schools, we also have student helpers who develop special bonds with students in the Lower School.